New findings from Professor Michael Calnan and his team’s research on India’s medical system has just been published by the leading interdisciplinary journal Social Science & Medicine.
Based on newspaper articles published in a leading vernacular newspaper about violence against doctors in India, the paper uncovered three interrelated key themes: the narrative of victimisation, the evolving doctor-patient relationship, and the crisis confronting the esteemed field of medicine. It demonstrates the media’s role in shaping public opinion and attitudes regarding the state of the medical profession, simultaneously mirroring existing opinions, attitudes, and cultural values. The analysis also identifies overlooked perspectives, including the voices of patients and the public.
The findings not only shed light on the predominant ways in which incidents of violence against doctors are reported and understood in society but also explore how the media may have influenced the popular discourse on the issue and the reasons behind it. The paper underscores the significance of considering what the reportage reveals about the state of the medical profession and its societal standing in India.
This study is funded through the Joint Health Systems Research Initiative, UK grant from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Wellcome Trust.
Full paper can be accessed here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953623008547